UEA Educational Excellence Task Force

UEA is launching the Educational Excellence Task Force

and we need your expertise!

Every year dozens of policy changes affect Utah’s public schools, but these changes do not always result in the best outcomes for students. Teachers, as education professionals, are best positioned to propose important solutions to strengthen teaching effectiveness and improve student outcomes. Therefore, the UEA is organizing the Educational Excellence Task Force to study and prioritize critical education issues and make recommendations to the UEA. The task force will be comprised of current classroom teachers and administrators who excel in the field of education, are leaders in the profession, and who are willing to engage the Association, policymakers and the public in the important dialogue of creating excellent public schools for every child.

The task force will:

·         Be selected through a competitive application process.

o   Requirements are a cover letter, an application form, a resume, two letters of recommendation from individuals with direct knowledge of teaching experience and demonstrated excellence as a classroom teacher or administrator.

o   Applicant must be a member of the UEA and a current classroom teacher or administrator.

·         Meet once a month from May – September 2012, and work via email or conference call to draft, review and revise a written report.

·         Create a vision of teaching excellence that is led by teachers.

o   Develop a comprehensive set of policy recommendations for the UEA’s consideration  regarding teaching quality and effectiveness.

·         Work with policymakers, the public and association leadership to promote policy recommendations.

As a proud Utah teacher and member of the UEA, I hope you will take this opportunity to lead the discussion on teaching and teacher quality in the State. This is a unique opportunity to speak as an education professional about those policies and practices you know will create positive outcomes for education in Utah.  Apply today!!   Applications due Friday, March 9.

Sincerely,

Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh

UEA President

For complete details and all application materials visit

UEA Educational Excellence website

"Not in Our Town"

The Inclusion Center is hosting a screening of the film "Not in Our Town", a film about bullying in schools.  It will be followed by an overview of Utah's climate, a youth panel, and an audience dialogue. 

Date:   February 8

Time:  7 p.m.

Place:  Utah Museum of Contemporary Arts, 20 S. West Temple

Welby and Westvale

I had school visits at Welby and Westvale over the last couple of days.  I helped members "flip" to E-Z Pay and answered questions about EFT and the coming legislative session.

Teacher Transfer Fair

The District is going to try out a Teacher Transfer Fair.  Teachers who are looking to transfer must have a completed transfer form as their entrance pass.  You can get one at the door if you don't get one before the Fair.  There will be an hour when teachers can walk around and be introduced to various principals and sign-up for an interview.  After a 30 minute break where JEA will offer refreshments, 15-minute interviews will be held.  Each teacher could have up to 6 interviews that day.  Because the time is short, teachers are asked to bring a resume but not a portfolio.  Human Resources (HR) will contact teachers who principals would like to have at their building.  Some teachers may be requested by multiple principals, so you may be given a choice of which school you transfer to.  The goal of the Fair is to help teachers go to schools where they want to be and to help principals find teachers who would fit well in their school.  In addition, if teachers receive a transfer, there will be fewer Reduction In Staff (RIS) teachers to place.

We still don't know how RIS teachers will be determined, except that evaluation and school need are the criteria that can be used as far as state law and district policy.  All RIS teachers will be placed in a position for which they are qualified.  If there is not a position for which a RIS teacher is qualified, that teacher could be a Reduction In Force (RIF) or laid off.

Teachers will still be able to transfer through June 1.  At that time, openings will be available for new-hires, but current teachers may still transfer through 10 days prior to the last day of new teacher induction.  You would need to watch the District website for job postings and call HR to add the other positions for which you would like to be considered to your transfer form.

This process is still unfolding, but Kyle Hansen from HR said it would be rolled out February 7.  I'll post more when I know more.

Dates of the Teacher Transfer Fairs:
Elementary - Friday, March 23 from 3:00 to 6:30 at South Jordan Middle Gym
Secondary - Monday, March 26 from 10:00 to 1:30 at Riverton High Tech Atrium

JEA Legislative Council

The JEA ARs met last night.  Dr. Johnson spoke about the focus groups she held, the discussions and priorities out of those focus groups which include morale and professional development, and the information the Board presented to legislators. 

There are many concerns and much anxiety over the new RIS process, which is still unknown.  I have been on a committee to figure out how this will work since seniority is not allowed.  A rubric is being developed based on school need and evaluation.  As soon as I have more information, I will post it.

A good portion of the meeting was spent on the EFT transition.  JEA is asking all members to "flip" from payroll deduction to EFT for the payment of dues.  We are starting now to be ready for the 2012-2013 school year.  Your AR should be holding a meeting within the next month to help you "flip".  All members who "flip" will receive a JEA retractable badge holder.  If you have questions, please let me know.

"American Teacher"

The film "American Teacher" is a rebuttal to "Waiting for Superman", and we have an opportunity to see it.  A screening of "American Teacher" will take place Thursday, February 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the University of Utah Film and Media Arts Auditorium, Campus Building #36. A panel discussion will follow.  Please share this information with those would be interested.

School Board Meeting

I attended the School Board Meeting last night.  The hot topic was the proposed purchase of the Jordan District Office Building located at Jordan Landing, which the District has been leasing since the split.  This issue is the first I have seen where the Board was publicly divided.  The vote was 4-3 in favor of the purchase.  Rick Bojak, Leah Voorhies, Peggy Jo Kennett, and Richard Osborn voted in favor with Carmen Freeman, Corbin White, and Susan Pulsipher voting against.  For a full description of the discussion, please see the JEA Facebook page.  It was a very interesting meeting.